JanMell Vanity Scripts #13: What is your brand of humor?

Working in a comedy club for more than a month now, we can say we've clearly distinguished how we make people laugh from that of our fellow comedians onstage. We have decided to be "clean," that is, do away from swearing and profanity just to elicit laughter. We tend to worship the great Jerry Seinfeld, who worked out 10 minutes of material

 from cellphones and bottled water and still be funny. But during one of our gigs, the flow of chit-chat caused one of our fellow comedians to talk about the tongue. Well, as we were expected to be spontaneous, our mind caused our tongue to utter an attempt at a green joke. 

"You know what the tongue is the strongest muscle in the body," we said.

"Bakit?" said the other comedian.

"Because it can lift a woman's body."

Nobody laughed. And nobody seemed to get our punchline. 

The other comedian retorted:

"Dili oy. Strongest na siya kay mao nay mutila sa k*ki ug sa ot*n."

The audience roared in laughter. For a moment we thought we were out of place. Geez. We are such a loser

JanMell Vanity Scripts #12: Parallel Universes and Love

It is our second overnight stay here in the laboratory. We still haven't got over our exhaustion from the previous overnight with barely 3 hours of sleep to re-energize and plenty of activities in the day to drain it out. We have to force ourselves to come here and leave our cat behind despite the strong urge to rest. 

While we are waiting for our samples to dry we are overcome by the feeling of being alone here in a cold, lifeless laboratory. The constant buzzing of the creaky air-conditioning unit seems to remind us of our solitude, like crickets humming in the silence of the night. We tighten our jacket, fold our arms and rested our head on the wall.

Sometimes, we wonder if this feeling is all there is for the rest of our life. It is our honest admission that we have felt alone since we were aware of our existence and we have always been curious about how things might be different if you have someone, who at all circumstances, can make you feel that you are never, never such.

Would life be more enjoyable if we have someone who would be so willing to bring us an umbrella when we're stuck in the rain instead of trembling in the cold while waiting for the rain to stop?

Would life be more worthwhile if we have someone to tell all our troubles to and assure us sweetly and affectionately after running our tears dry, that everything will work out fine?

Or in our case right now, would we be more inspired to finish our work when we have someone to keep us company even through our cellular phones or laptops only, informing that someone about the progress of our experiment instead of tightening our jackets, folding our arms and listening to the sound of silence?

Would life be truly lived if we have someone who would want to do everything for us as much as we desire to do everything for them?

As we stare at the empty beaker reflecting our emaciated face we are reminded of a line from the movie Moulin Rouge:

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return."

And yet as we continue to ponder we have realized in introspect that we will forever remain curious about these things. We have long accepted that there are questions we can never answer and events we can only experience if we're in a different, parallel universe. There are people like us who believe so, and our fate is best defined by the words of Harold Zidler from the same movie we quoted above, who told it to the main character, Santine who is terminally-ill:

"We are creatures of the underworld. We can't afford to love."

JanMell Vanity Scripts #11: How do you unwind?

I climb up a mountain with my friends. They gather young coconuts for its juice and meat. I stay at the shanty and read until I fall asleep. When I wake up, we're off to our next destination.

Then I go swimming with my friends. They play with the water like children in the summer, toss plastic bottles, laugh. I dip myself slowly until all of my body is wet then get off and sit silently on a rock, watching. When they do another round of swimming, I dry myself and go back to the cottage.

Then we go home at dusk. The moment my back hit the bed, I am fast asleep. I wake up before midnight and I write this vanity script. 

I write about how pleasurable it is for me to be sitting idly in a shanty on top of a mountain facing the vast sea, feeling the gentle wind whisper its journey in my ears. How exciting it is for me to read a book when I'm closer to the sky and how rewarding it is to take an energizing nap away from the hustle-bustle of the polluted city. 

I write about how I am able to have my own moments of silence amid the peals of laughter and gushing water while sitting in a rock and trembling with the cold. How much I enjoy watching the happiness of my friends, how the clear waters overwhelm me and render me silent so that I can hear myself telling me what I need to do with my life.

It may not be bursting with energy or done in the most cheerful of ways but that is how I unwind. After all, enjoyment is not measured by the extravagance of the get-away or the decibels of your laughter and merry-making. Rather, it is gauged upon the silent realization that when you go home, your heart becomes lighter when it once was too heavy.

Our blog sponsors spelling bee event

Last September 28 the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineering Students (IIEES) MSU-IIT Chapter conducted a spelling bee competition and their president, Jeffrel Hermias invited us to sponsor the event, that is, serve as the quizmaster. We gladly accepted the offer. This is the first time that our blog sponsored a literary event and we were very excited. This serves as an affirmation of our purpose why we made this blog: to promote reading as a way to make more people informed and eradicate ignorance. Furthermore, we needed an avenue to promote our blog and we think this is just perfect.

 We have a book in our collection entitled The Mercury Visions of Louis Daguerre. Just saying. 

As prize, we gave away one of the books in our collection, Natural-Born Cyborgs: Minds, Technologies and the Future of Human Intelligence by Andy Clark to the champion, Ms. April Faith Manabat, a fourth year Electrical Engineering student. We think this might be an interesting read for an aspiring electrical engineer.

Congratulations to all of us. We hope to sponsor events such as these in the future. We believe engineering students do not fall behind in terms of literary skills but such hasty generalization exists. Thus we must work hand in hand to dispel that idea. Let us make them eat our literary dust.

Kid teaches us cat parenting

We sometimes forget to scoop poop. They stink as hell.. Read it in The Huffington Post.

Paintings, poems and nunchucks

Last September 13 we attended a poetry-reading and art exhibit at the behest of our friend, Seliz. It was organized by Odd Proyekto, and the poetry-reading and exhibit was in celebration of the release of Volume II of Odd Proyekto, a limited ciculation portfolio of visual and literary creations. 

Photos Courtesy of Odd Proyekto

The volume features different young and seasoned contributors from Iligan City as well as from all over the country.

It turned out that the poetry-reading was more casual than we expected. The contributors present were very unassuming to the point of refusing to read their poems because they felt shy. When they ran out of readers they asked us to read. We stood up and read Cityscape by Simon Anton Nino Diego. We think we mispronounced at least two words. Ha ha. 

Our friend, the psychedelic Seliz especially liked Luis Batchoy's Extra Super Special Batchoy with Egg. We think we know why.

Because it's supposed to be Odd, the event ended in a nunchucks exhibition by one of the contributors. 

Congratulations to the organizers. We need more people like you to further strengthen our artistic and literary force especially now when there are only a few of the profound and cultured left and everyone else has nothing in mind but Gangnam Style. 

To those who want to grab a copy of Odd Proyekto Volume II just contact them through their Facebook page. It's here.

Makabagong Bayanihan

We wrote this together with my good friend, Airess Casimero for an oration contest in MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology. It won 3rd place because it was not corny enough. We would like to think of this as our Buwan ng Wika article this year. Read on.

Sa mundong lumiliit --- dapat angking TALINO ay magamit upang PAGKAKAISA ng sambayananan ay makamit!

Sa aking mga kagalang-galang na tagapakinig, may nais lamang akong itanong sa inyong lahat at sana'y wag niyong ikagagalit.

“What's on your mind?”

Huwag niyo akong titigan na para bang ako'y isang “status box.” Opo, ang tinutukoy ko ay ang palagi nating kinakaharap na tanong sa bawat araw at bawat sandali na tila ba'y naging bahagi na ng ating buhay ang pagsagot sa katanungang ito. Sa bawat pagbukas natin ng ating mga “facebook accounts” bumubulagta sa ating harapan ang simpleng tanong na ito. Simpleng tanong na nagpabago sa ating pamamalagi sa mundong ibabaw.

Facebook. Isa lamang ito sa mga “social networking sites” na popular ngayon. Sa pamamagitan nito, ang minsang nawala, nagkakaroon ng pagkakataong muling magkita; ang di magkakilala, nagiging magkaibigan. Ikanga nila, isa kang “alien” o lamang-lupa kung wala kang “facebook account.” Ganyan kalaki ang bahaging ginagampanan ng mga social networking sites sa ating buhay.

Ang pagsikat ng mga social networking sites gaya ng Facebook ay nagpapatunay na hindi lamang ang paglobo ng populasyon ang sanhi kung bakit lumiliit ang mundo. Sa pagdami ng mga tao, dumami rin ang mga makabagong paraan ng pakikipagtalastasan. “Share” dito, “share “doon. “Like” dito, “Like” doon. “Comment” dito, “comment” doon. At sino ba ang hindi nawiwili sa napakaraming kaibigan na pwedeng i-chat?

Sadya mang napakalawak ng daigdig, pero dahil sa sadyang maparaan ang tao, mas lalo pang lumiit ang mundo. Ang milya-milyang distansya ay abot-tanaw na!

Marahil masasabi nating napakagaling ng naka-imbento ng Facebook! Isa itong malaking tulong sa ating sambayanan.

Hindi ba't ganyan naman talaga tayong mga tao? Gamit ang angking katalinuhan, ang ating mga puso at kaluluwa ay hinugis ng bawa't pagnanasa upang malutas ang mga problema. Sadyang tayo ay walang kapagurang galugarin ang bawa’t posibilidad upang maabot ang pinakamataas na antas ng pamumuhay.

Bagong panahon, bagong pangangailangan!

Bagong lipunan, bagong pagnanasa!

Batid ang pagbabago sa ating mundong ginagalawan. Ngunit marahil naitatanong natin sa ating mga sarili, nagbago na rin ba ang ating mga pagpapahalaga? Dinala ba ng alon ng pagbabago ang mga katangian nating mga Pilipino?

Isa sa mga hindi ko malilimutang alaala bilang isang residente ng Iligan ay ang kalunos-lunos na sitwasyong sinapit nito sa pananalasa ng bagyong Sendong. Hindi ko na kailangang ipaalala pa sa inyo ang katakot-takot na mga idinulot ng bagyo. Subalit sa gitna ng pagdadalamhati ng lahat, nangyari ang di natin inakalang magagawa ng bawat isa. Tayo ay nagkaisa upang bumangon, upang magsimula muli. At di natin maikakailang malaki ang papel na ginampanan ng mga makabagong uri ng komunikasyon upang mas mapalaganap ang apoy ng ating nararamdaman.

One for Iligan, Help CDO, Tabang Luzon at marami pang iba. Hindi ko mabilang kung ilang tao sa Facebook ang nagpalaganap ng adhikaing ito, kung ilang tao ang nag-tweet upang makatulong, kung ilang tao ang nagpalaganap ng mga mensahe gamit ang kainlang mga telepono upang maipaabot lamang sa bawat isa ang iisang hangarin, iisang mithiin.

Oo nga't hindi na uso ang bayanihan. Saan ka pa makakakita ngayon ng mga taong magbubuhat ng isang bahay upang ilipat ito sa isang bagong lugar? Subalit ang katangiang ito'y nanatili at nagbagong-anyo sa paglipas ng panahon. Ang talino at galing ng tao na siyang nagdulot ng mga makabagong paraan ng komunikasyon gaya ng social networking sites ay naging daan upang magkaroon ng makabagong bayanihan. Ang mga tao, saan mang sulok ng mundo ay magkakaisa. Hindi hadlang ang mga milya, hindi hadlang ang wika o kultura sapagkat ang pagkakaunawaan ay nasa puso.

Gaya ng bayanihan noon, ang makabagong bayanihan ay nagbigay ligaya sa ating mga kababayan. Dahil sa tulong ng marami, nagkaroon muli ng mga bahay ang mga nasalanta at nabigyan ng pagkakataong makapagsimula muli. Higit sa lahat, naipakita natin na tayo bilang magkakakapatid ay nandiyan parin para sa isa't isa.

Ito ang itatak natin sa ating mga isipan: na ang mga makabagong uri ng pakikipagtalastasan ay ating gamitin sa mabuting paraan tungo sa pagkakaisa ng sambayanan. Sana'y matanto natin na ang mga bagay na ito ay may mas mataas na paggagamitan at iyon ay ang magbunga ng makabagong bayanihan.

Ngayon tatanungin ko kayo ulit.

“What's on your mind?”

At sa pagkakataong ito naway hindi lamang ang laman ng inyong isip ang inyong isagot kundi ang laman rin ng inyong puso.

Maraming salamat po.

Adopting a Pusakal (Or the other way around)

Last summer after spending almost two months in UP (technically in UP Hotel, I hate getting out) I went home in Dipolog and asked my cousin to get me a kitten to adopt. She said our neighbor's cat just gave birth and her human said the kittens were available for adoption.

“What color is this kitten?” I asked her. She said white and orange.

“Like Garfield?” I replied. She nodded.

When the kitten came it was not the color that I expected. Not Garfield at all, but the most common pusang kalye you see running across the street after getting driven out of a household. I have to admit I was quite disappointed but I dismissed the feeling since I believe racial discrimination must not apply to anyone, even cats. My aunts told me to replace it with another one. I decided not to. This kitten would do.

At that time I had no idea how to deal with a kitten. I just took out a rag, placed the kitten over it and, yes, took pictures. My cousin told me the kitten is a boy and I believed her so I named “him” Albus Albrecht Perseus Janus. That is, after the headmaster of Hogwarts, a painter, a Greek hero and a two-faced god. In short, Albie. Later I learned that Albie is a girl when a boardmate pointed it out but it was too late to change her name. She got used to it already. The last thing I'd want is a confused pet. Anyway, girls with boyish names is the fad. (Yes, I'm referring to you George.)

I was ready to take him to Iligan where I live. So I bought a box for chickens, placed Albie inside and told her,” For the rest of the trip, just imagine you're Schrodinger's cat.” She liked it. (This one is a descendant of Thomas Gray, the cat who went to Cambridge.) The bus conductor initially detested placing the box next to my seat. He said I should put it under the bus together with the cargo. But when I gave him the look that said, “ Are you crazy? You want my kitten to suffocate from inhaling carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of your hydrocarbon fuel?” he agreed.

In the bus, passengers cannot help but throw a quizzical look at me and the kitten in my lap. (During most of the trip I got her out of the box, it's just humane) One passenger marveled at how cute she is and said, “Ay ka-cute sa iring. Malnourished.” She said this as if malnourished is a synonym for cute then went on to stroke the cat. Still one passenger, the one sitting beside me repeatedly pointed out that Albie is a pusakal. She said pusakal a couple of times I thought she meant Albie, the pusakal of pusakals. To prevent casualties I just smiled as if saying, “Keep your opinions to yourself humans. This cat might be more intelligent than you.”

After 8 hours of travel, mostly of which the beast in my lap was asleep, we finally arrived in Iligan. While heading home with the box so proud that after thinking about it for days, I finally found a cat to adopt 8 hours away, I was welcomed by a group of feline friends available for adoption. It seems that the neighborhood has plenty of kittens to give away.

Geez, I haven't thought of that.

JanMell Vanity Scripts #10: IN OR OUT?

You may not notice it but it is really hard to get to know someone. Well, there are some people who can get along with each other really well, instantly becoming friends the moment they see each other. But getting along well and getting to know a person are two different things. It is easy to share a good laugh and have fun. What's difficult is to be part of that person's life. 

To be part of oth

er people's lives you need more than just moments together. You need more than just shared laughter and tears, more than just constant communication or lack of awkward moments. What you need is their acceptance.

No amount of effort will do unless they allow you to be part of their world. 

And it is difficult to gain their acceptance. Some of us realize this the hard way when they suddenly find themselves out of someone's life even after sharing a part of it with each other.

You thought you were there. But sadly enough, you were never there in the first place. 

JanMell Vanity Scripts #9: NEVER TOO LATE

Until now I can still remember how at one time in my rage, I took all of his clothes out of the cabinet, stormed into the sari-sari store where he was having his drunken revelry and threw the garments on the dingy floor as if saying that we've had enough of his folly. Yes, it's perfectly fine to us for him to live with his vices and not take a single step into our home anymore. At that time I have

n't seen the expression on his face. I was blinded by my hatred.

On still another occasion, I remember that in my annoyance I hurled a glass jar at him. I missed, the glass jar shattered into pieces. 

I cannot recall how many times I cursed him. How many glass jars I attempted to hurl at him. How many times I wished for him to go away and in so doing us a favor by excusing his abominable presence away from us.

But where did all the hate take me? 

I graduated with Latin honors. I am pursuing a graduate degree under a scholarship that provides me with more than what I need. I am working hard to lift our lives out of poverty. In my two decades in this world, although I had more than my fair share of difficulties I have emerged unfazed and firm. I have given my parents enough reason to be proud of who I am and what I have achieved. 

On quite rare occasions when I am able to come home I looked at my father and saw how years went by. The usually strong and dreadful voice was replaced by a meek and soft-toned one. The once brooding physique was slackened by the burden of age. The once fiery eyes were now replaced by faint embers, mellowed by the passing of the years.

Upon seeing the emaciated figure I suddenly realized how he worked hard for us all his life. How silently he battled his own inner wars. How he kept all to himself and to bottles of liquor. In the company of distilled spirits he surrendered himself. He can't let us see him struggle. He can't let us see him down. Despite his many vices he still provided for us. Though he struggled, he still showed that he is our pillar of strength. 

I could choose to be delinquent. I could opt to be a drop-out. I could waste all my life sulking over the fact that I do not have that ideal father one sees in the movies. But I didn't. And why? 

Because he was there all along. 

I remembered how he would bathe me and my brother when we were kids. He would brush our feet briskly like a dirty pot to make sure we're spick and span. He would cut our nails with the seriousness of an engineer drafting a blueprint. He was even our own personal barber. Although sometimes we regret we had our haircut done by him. Yes he loved us then and he loves us now. And although there may be a lot of times when it is not quite apparent, Time has granted me the silent knowledge that my father loves us. It is I think the advent of maturity that I have come to understand him, be open to him and give him another chance to show how a father might care for his family. 

Today he turns 46. Almost half of his life he has been with me. Although sometimes I cannot feel his guidance I reckon it was because it was I who looked away. I do not wish to sound cheesy but now, I am grabbing the chance to show him that it is not yet too late. 

Happy Birthday, Daddy Eric. I may not consider you the best dad in this world but if ever somebody gives me the power to choose who my father would be, I will never give you up for someone else.

Keep well.

JanMell Vanity Scripts #8: GREEN

Yesterday when we went to the mall we passed by Greenwich and felt a craving for their food. After all, we can't remember anymore the last time we ate there. So this afternoon after waking up (yes, we wake up in the afternoon) we went for it. 

To be honest, Macki's fried chicken (double-dead or not) tastes better and we found the spaghetti bland and unexciting. The only consolation was the

 pizza and this is probably due to the fact that we haven't eaten pizza in ages.

Thanks to their good-looking staff, male and female alike, our mind was preoccupied at coming up with possible pick-up lines to catch their attention and probably sound naughty, at the very least. Say for example:

"Excuse me, mangayo mig water. Apili nalang pod sa imong number." 

Or a naughty answer to a conventional dialogue.

Waiter (Referring to the used plates): Sir, pwede na ni kwaon? 

Us: Kwaa na ang tanan sa ako.

Waiter: Sir, naa pay kulang sa order?

Us: Uu, ikaw. 

We have come to the conclusion that in Greenwich, except for their lasagna, their staff might taste better than their food.

Keep well.

Foodtrip, Inc. Part 3

In continuation of our eating spree we forced our friend, the Board Topnotcher to treat us to dinner at my behest. Of all the restaurants that line Technohub we dined at Kanin Club, where I initially hesitated because I thought they only serve kanin. Pathetic.

The beef steak and the binagoongan were good and it became clear to me why they call themselves Kanin Club. It's because they make you eat rice a lot. Ironically, there's nothing special in it. When I'm very hungry it's all the same to me.

We also set out to try the cakes at Maginhawa in UP Village. The original plan was to try the ice cream frozen by liquid nitrogen (if you worry about toxicity, liquid nitrogen is harmless in this particular) however their small store was already crowded with customers and we can't get in. I tried their Brazo de Mercedes and my friend tried the decadent chocolate cake. Based on our reactions, we did not regret not going for the ice cream. 

The cake shop (I forgot the name, goodness) in Maginhawa was small but neat, has nice, soft lighting and relatively quiet. They have books and boardgames stacked in one corner together with colored pens which you use in case you want to pin a shoutout or message in their wall.

Did I posted something? Of course, I did. I was hoping that the right person might be able to read it but ironically I posted it there because I am sure he won't.

Anyway I have mentioned the delectable halo-halo of Razon's but the conventional halo-halo must be found. We had it at Icebergs at SM North Edsa after watching Dark Shadows which was very, very dark except for Johnny Depp. The movie was overrated because he was there and I swear I wished I watched the Avengers for the second time instead. 

Beside the halo-halo is the fries.

One interesting find in UP Shopping Center: Korean ice cream sandwich. Didn't really try it because I'd rather spend my money on Rodic's tapsilog but my friends say it was great.

On my last dinner date with friends before going back to Dipolog we tried KKK at SM North Edsa. I don't know what message they were trying to deliver but during that time I was as hungry as a Katipunero. There was a battlecry of hunger and as their slogan suggests, a food revolution. 

Indeed, the pinakbet and kaldereta served by waiters dressed as Katipuneros were great. Don't read that wrong. The pinakbet and kaldereta were great, not the waiters dressed as Katipuneros. 

Right now I am looking forward to coming back and be with my friends for another foodtrip. I slunked home with a heavy heart because I haven't tried that famous isaw of Mang Larry! Ha ha.

Foodtrip, Inc. Part 2

Again, my friend, one of the Jessicii met up together with college friends at Greenbelt for dinner. (By the way she earlier asked why I call her one of the Jessicii. The Jessicii is actually a group of people whose names are, obviously, Jessica. They initially comprise of Jessica Soho, Jessica Zafra, Jessica Sanchez, etc. She noted how these Jessica's are excellent in their field and what that implies.) After a deliberation of impeachment trial in magnitude we settled for Italiani's and I immediately observed that even if I apply as dishwasher I would never pass. 

The pizza and pasta were great. Not done yet, to an Italiano. Finally I knew why there is a thing as Pinoy style in such food. What caught my taste instead were the signs painted on the high-end restaurant's walls. My friends asked if I knew their translations. I said I quite do. This one means "In wine there is truth."

The service was great, though. And they have great bread. We didn't try any of their desserts so I made up for it the following day by trying I Heart Froyo at Maginhawa in Quezon City just a ride from U.P. Campus. The original plan was to go out for milk tea, which everyone is dying to drink. In the end, I had banana milk tea from Moonleaf and my friend settled with the froyo. I enjoyed the milk tea but it could have been better if I did away with the black pearls. They're a nuisance. 

The following day we had early dinner at Pizza Hut but I was not able to take pictures because I was too busy delivering pick-up lines to the cute waiter for the sake of fun. Asking if he could take my plate after I was done eating I said, "You can take everything from me."

More to come!

Foodtrip, Inc.

In my short stay in Manila I am almost sure that I cannot stand living in this city for good. The noise, the pollution, the hassle and the heat that makes me wonder whether I am in Earth or in the surface of the sun are enough to convince me that nothing beats life in the province.

But one thing can make me stay. It's the food. There are a lot of food in Manila that are not in the provinces ranging from the apparently delicious to the ones you only buy out of curiosity. 

We went to try J.Co Donuts. I have resolved to try them when I read about Jessica Zafra's review of the donuts. My friend said they have great iced choco and that the best tasting donut is Al Capone. Yes they have unique donut names from stars the likes of Drew Berrymore, Berry Spears, etc. No, the book by Suzanne Collins is not part of the order. 

I have longed to try Wendy's because it was endorsed by Regine Velasquez in the '90s. You remember the high pitched "It's the best time for Wendy's?" By the way the fries were excellent and I thought they're going to drown me in sundae.

We also set out to try Yoshinoya, a Japanese restaurant, obviously. Meals come in bento boxes and they offer desserts like green tea flavored ice cream. All of us except one detested the ice cream. They said it was like eating cold wasabe with cream. I thought I was eating algae.

A friend boasted to me the famous Churros at Dulcinea. While eating I remembered Dulcinea is a character of the film adaptation of Don Quixote. Dulcinea del Toboso was played by Vanessa Williams in the Peter Yates film starring John Lithgow as Don Quixote. 

More to come!

First time

It's my first time to experience what they claim as the world's most immersive movie experience. Yes, IMAX Theater. And guess what's on the big screen: The Avengers. 

We had our seats reserved 2 days before the actual showing. That's how eager people want to see the most awaited flick. Seats were sold out and it was my first time to line up in such a long queue. While waiting to get inside I imagined what it would be like. I actually thought I won't have to look at a screen anymore. I just have to put on a headgear that would connect to my brain, manipulate my nervous system and transport me to the movie itself. Hey, I paid 400 pesos. But my companion said it's just like the regular moviehouse except you'd have to put on 3D goggles. "What? The red and blue spectacles? Like the freebie that comes with a can of Nido?" 

Oh, how innocent I was.

While watching the movie I cannot restrain the child in me. I actually tried to grasp the objects in the movie and on several occasions tried to hug Captain America and Thor. Ha ha. Not to mention exerting so much effort to prevent myself from shouting, 'I Love You TONY STARK!" 

Probably because it's my first time, my eyes hurt and I had a headache after watching the movie. I have to constantly position my goggles lest they fall off or improperly oriented. Times like these make me want to question God why he did not wake me up when He was giving people better looking noses. The headache is not a surprise for someone who cannot stand a minute of playing Counterstrike because the graphics and motion makes me want to throw up. Nevertheless, it made me research the characters that make up the Avengers and walked myself to a long history of comic books. My personal favorite is, yes, Tony Stark who without his armor is just a genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist. Robert Downey Jr.'s comedic timing is such a turn-on I tried so hard to restrain myself from shouting.....here I go again. I think I might have to watch it once more this time in 2D. Looking for awesome? Go watch it.

Moving Forward

I remembered very well that the last time we seriously talked I told him that when I happen to come across him in the future, I would show my achievements, accomplishments and even wealth by pretending to not recognize him. I imagined myself walking past him as if he does not exist or in the event of an unavoidable conversation say, "Hi, have we met?" or the more dramatic, "Can you please introduce yourself? This is the first time I encountered such an abominable persona." That was how vengeful I was. Yes, vengeful is a substitute for bitter, something people associate with failed romantic fixations and which I associate with a certain vegetable. 

So when I graduated I decided to cut all possible means of communication. I deleted his numbers (yes, two different networks), and hid his facebook updates on my wall. To remove him from my list of friends was too bitter a move-- you know you're bitter when you deny being so.

 I longed for self-improvement: I took up a master's degree, spoke in front of people and delivered lectures-- all in the pursuit of something I could be proud of against him. In my fascination of ninjas I thought of all those as shurikens: things to hurl at him until he's ground to a pulp the moment we meet again.

To fuel my motives I thought of how he threw derogatory remarks on me, the curses, the expletives. How he slaughtered my confidence. How he condemned me for who I am. How verily he portrayed how terrible I was as a friend. The months of uncomfortable silence between us plus more months of half-hearted interactions were more than enough to torment me and kept me asking why. But those were to end because I'm going to throw it all upon him the next time we meet. Bastard, I'm gonna kick your ass without you knowing it. 

But time thwarted all my plans. Time, with its sharpened edges cut the chains that held my mind captive. Suddenly, there were new friends, new adventures and a lot of things to do and it all slowly, painstakingly removed the hate from me. It was like shouting at the top of your lungs in front of the vast ocean until the burden weighs no more.

And it confused me. 

Before, I was certain of what to do when we meet. Grind, pulp, feed to the dogs. Now I don't have any idea. I was supposed to rehearse my reaction upon seeing him but all I could ever think of was nothing. He thinks I hate him. A big smile and a warm welcome is ironic, not to mention so unlike me. A cold glance and stark indifference was out of the options anymore. In a moment of enlightenment I decided to stop thinking and let it all just happen.

And he was the same old friend I know.

Probably slimmer but the pounds he lost were gained by his ego. Mas yumabang pa nga eh. But this time I realized that I do not take that against him anymore. Before, I cannot stand him. In fact, I restated the Pauli Exclusion Principle to apply to us:  We cannot be in the same place at the same time without an argument. I hated him a lot, but I liked him more. Ironic but true. But now, I took his yabang as that usual attribute of a friend you would tolerate simply because he is your friend. I was not irked anymore and would not engage in a senseless banter with him anymore. Yet he was his usual self. The kind who teases, jokes and irritates you like a pesky little spoiled brat infuriating the yaya with his mischiefs. Before I would fuel his malevolence by striking back, now I just pass it off as his nature. 

When we met and sat down to a couple of drinks I must admit that I had the best conversation in years. No one can beat that guy's smart ass when it comes to things we talk about. That was why I liked him in the first place. And when we touched on religion, he said that we should not just call on God only when we need something from him. I felt the urge to insinuate that by extension, one should not do that to people, say for example, me. But I held my tongue. Something has really, remarkably changed. There was no pounding of the chest, there were no awkward moments for me and I could look at him straight in the eye and say the things I want to say. 

Have I forgotten all the hate? God forbid, have I been nice to any life form? I don't exactly know but one thing's for sure. I don't want to hurl at him all those shurikens anymore or ask him what kind of surgeon would operate on him if I shove an entire shoe collection up his ass. Time has been so kind to remove him from my death list. 

Was it indifference? No. I still care for that conceited member of the male species. However, what I probably had in excess before, to the point of staying up all night to answer his exams, I have now in the friendliest of form. The kind that refuses, says enough and says not what you want to hear but what you need to. I realized a major mistake I made all along. I was too engrossed on liking him that I did not notice the good friend that he was. It was unfortunate that we have to go through all these just to find ourselves enjoying each other's company now without the stigma that prevented us then. 

I found it amusing when he shook my hand really hard and patted my back like he's going to expel my lungs when we parted ways. I even thought we'd gonna do a chestbomb. You know, that gesture boys do when they're happy to see each other. Hilarious. But most of the time the ultimate manifestation that things move forward for the better is when you could simply laugh it off. And we laughed till we had abs. Then suddenly I remembered a line from the opening theme of Full Metal Alchemist: To regain the things we've lost we must keep on moving forward. I cannot stand the cheesiness but I agree.

And oh. He recently just officially became an engineer. I did not congratulate him. There is no point in doing so. I am not surprised that he would pass. I knew it all along. 

Keep well.

Acclimatization and Technohalohalo

I have been to the UP Campus twice before and the surroundings is no longer foreign to me. But this time is different since I have to stay longer. That means I could finally put on my bagpack and guiding stick and proceed with my explorations. 

Because I felt like eating KFC Hotshots I texted my friend (my teacher before) in UP where the nearest KFC store is. It's in Technohub, and he gave me instructions how to get there. I have my own share of bloopers getting there because I have always known how poor a navigator I am. But nevermind, I got there in one piece. I had the opportunity again to visit the place but this time at night and with two of my friends who are having their master's in UP (they were my instructors before, now we're classmates). The place was totally different at night. 

After dinner one of them said we must have halo-halo at Razon's of Guagua which was nearby. He said the halo-halo is famous having been featured in TV magazine shows. 

My first reaction: where's the ube? The sago? The langka? The color? It turned out that the unique thing about this halo-halo is that it doesn't have any of these. There is however, macapuno, ice, milk and a leche flan topping. It was delicious, but all I can taste is the milk. I still prefer the conventional halo-halo which lives up to its name. 

Hello UP.

Some things just comes back to you when you have forgotten about it and don't concern yourself about it anymore. When I graduated from high school I have dreamed of studying in the University of the Philippines. Diliman campus in particular. But it was not realized because our meager income dictated so. Now that I have finished a bachelor's degree and proceeded to graduate school I was given a chance to cross-register in UP. That means I'll be staying here for summer in the comfort of the University Hotel. It's a refreshing break from the previous semester and I plan to be productive while comfortable (comfort often begets idleness). 

The UP registration form asked for a present address. So I wrote this.

The room was all right. But you'll know we flew 700 kilometers because it instantly turned messy the moment we came in and settled ourselves.

At least the comfort room is clean, organized and well-lighted. In fact, it's where I spend most of my time.

Right now all I wish is that I'll have a good time here. Allowance, please be quick.

Planners and Parlors.

When I come to think of it I am surrounded by planners. Ironically, however, the number of planners I have is inversely proportional to how organized I am. My schedules and to-dos always go haywire. There were even occasions when I fail to attend an appointment because I forgot about it, notwithstanding the fact that I wrote about it in a planner.

It's not the planner's fault. It's just that a certain mentality is hardwired into me. In other words, I am a person who finds it difficult to abide by a rigid schedule. However, in my profession a rigid schedule is common, hence the planners. But like some medicine, these planners seem placebo.  In the previous years I buy them because they're cute and not because they really help me with organizing. Later on I buy them and use them so I could look at it and say, "Hey I've got a life."

As a New Year token, my tutee gave me a 2012 planner. It's simple and I am "using" it now. And just recently, a good friend graduated from the Philippine Military Academy and gave me a PMA Bagwis Class planner.

We were classmates in engineering school for a year. On the second year she decided to join the Academy. During that memorable freshmen year she was the crush of almost all boys in our block. When she came back a year after studying in the academy, our boys turned into sissies compared to her.

Suddenly I am reminded of a joke my father used to crack on me. He said when I grow up I should go to PMA. As in Pedicure, Manicure, Alot.

The Ring

I met up with my friend, one of the Jessicii, in Manila last Saturday. In excitement to see each other, we have planned our activities a month before including all the "chika" we owe from one another. As a token, she bought me a ring of my choice and out of the many designs, I chose this one. 

I found this ring very, very useful when you ride a jeepney and there's an annoying girl in front of you. Just imitate Ninoy Aquino on the 500-peso bill. Make sure the ring is facing her. In general, the insinuating gesture is applicable to any annoying person who irks you. But probably what I like most about this ring is that I could use this as a substitute to brass knuckles whenever I want to punch someone infuriating. In addition to the pain and ignominy, the word BITCH is aptly stamped on his or her face.

It's more fun in COE.

I remember one of my instructors telling me that in their college, the word "KI-AT" is  justified in the truest sense of the word. Then he went to ask: "Kamo sa COE, unsa mo diha, ga-uga?"

I agreed with him. Yes. It's because "KI-AT" is not justified in COE. What we prove instead are the words "MAS KI-AT."

1. Take for example our sports events. It caters to the sports minded, the athletic, even to those who want to lose weight, wear a tan or stalk their crush.

A postapocalyptic novel to welcome the year.

With all the fuss about the world ending in 2012, I figured it would be a good idea to read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy before the year ends. I heard of McCarthy as the author of Blood Meridian, whom the likes of Jessica Zafra enjoy very much and when I saw his name on a novel with an all black cover except for the words 'THE ROAD" printed in red, I immediately picked it up. It turned out that McCarthy really is not for the average reader that I am. I have to elevate myself to a thinking being to appreciate his style. In a McCarthy, you don't just react to the happenings and twists in the plot. It is not a page turner in the sense that you just want to know what happens next. Instead, you immerse yourself in the world he creates and leaf through the pages because you want to feel more. I want to call it as curiosity of what you might be capable of feeling, rather than curiosity of what's in store for the characters. 

Reading the first paragraphs can make you feel like you want to throw the book away. But all you need is elevate yourself from your usual reading attitude that serves reading mangas and tagalog pocketbooks well and you'll get through. Pretty much like Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude.

The book did not explicitly mention the cause of the apocalypse (why America, or the world, was burned) but I figured it might be because of a natural phenomenon (eg solar flares reaching Earth) like the one in the film Knowing starring Nicolas Cage. One thing though, McCarthy is very good at describing the world he created and its stark contrast to the world of the man and his son "sustained  by love."